


I'm Sorry (I Did You Wrong)

by bar2d2s



Category: Strange Magic (2015)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Post-Movie, during movie?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-19
Updated: 2015-03-19
Packaged: 2018-03-18 14:33:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3573218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bar2d2s/pseuds/bar2d2s
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The most important moment not actually included in the movie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Sorry (I Did You Wrong)

**Author's Note:**

> I've been meaning to write this for ages, I'm honestly ashamed it took me this long.

Sunny had known, he’d  _known_ , from the second she’d looked at him with clear eyes, that he’d have to tell Dawn what he did. 

How he’d messed up. How he’d let a planted suggestion grow into a bloom of a terrible,  _terrible_  idea that nearly got a lot of innocent people hurt. That got  _her_  hurt.

And he’d have to tell her before someone else had the chance to.

While everyone was distracted by Bog’s awkward attempt at a confession, Sunny slipped his hand into hers, pulling her away from the crowd. Dawn let out a quiet giggle, clearly thinking that they were sneaking away for more private kissing time. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by a fist. After he told her, Dawn might not even want to  _look_  at him again.

“Ooh, and what might we be doing back here?” She teased, kneeling and poking him in the chest with the hand he wasn’t holding. Sunny grabbed it too, closing his eyes. Dawn’s lips brushed across his cheek, then pecked him on the nose, and they flew open again.

“Dawn, I have to tell you something very important. You’re going to be mad, and I won’t blame you if you are, but I need to tell you anyway.” She’d pulled out of kissing distance, watching him, waiting for him to continue. But he couldn’t find the words.

“Sunny?” She prompted, giving his hands a little squeeze. His heart was breaking, realizing just how much he was going to miss her. 

“I was the one who went into the Dark Forest and got the love potion.” He said quickly, spitting it out in a single breath. “B-but I wasn’t going to use it, I swear. At the last second, I realized how wrong it would be. What it was. The potion would  _make_  you love me, but it wouldn’t be  _real_. What we already had was real, and I shouldn’t have been so selfish as to want more.” Sunny ducked his head, staring at their hands. Dawn’s fingers were still squeezed tight around his, but her knuckles were going white. 

“I was trying to pull the bottle away and cork it when the imp jumped me and spilled it on you.” Her fingers went limp, and he winced. “But...even if I  _wasn’t_  going to use it, the fact that I got so close makes me no better than Roland. I’m so, so sorry.” He finished, glancing up. Dawn’s mouth was hanging open, and the look in her eyes was like a sword in the gut.

Hurt. Betrayal. Anger. Sadness. And yet, under it all, he could still see the soft, loving look she’d been sporting minutes before. The sight of it allowed a glimmer of hope to spark in him.

And then Dawn pulled her hands away, wrapping her arms about herself, and it died.

“Wow. I...wow, Sunny. How could you?” She didn’t sound as sharp, as angry as her sister had been learning the same thing, but then again, Marianne had just seen Dawn snatched out from under her nose. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I’m selfish.” He hadn’t meant to blurt that out, had wanted to say literally anything else, but that was the truth and it was time he owned up to it. “I’ve loved you for  _years_ , Dawn. And for so long, I was fine with the way we were. But somewhere deep inside, I’d always wanted more.”

“And a love potion was easier than just, just telling me how you felt?” He winced again, but didn’t interrupt. “I mean, we both know I’m not good with feelings. My crushes would change at the drop of a hat! But who was I always,  _always_  happy to see?” She poked him in the chest again, hard, and he stumbled backwards. “You! It took me getting love-dusted to finally see it, but who was it I’d always loved? You! It was, Sunny, it was you.” Her shoulders slumped, and he reached for her.

“Dawn-”

“I’m not done.” His mouth snapped shut, arm dropping to his side. “I’m so mad at you.”

And that was fair. That was less than he deserved. He should be beaten up, locked away, banished. Something! He’d put Dawn in danger with his selfishness, no punishment was too severe. 

As he mentally berated himself, Sunny barely noticed Dawn’s hand reaching out, until it was practically touching his face. He braced himself for a poke, a slap, a punch. Something. But her fingers traveled down to his chin, tilting his face up.

“Look at me.” He did, and his breath caught in his throat.

Dawn was crying.

“Oh, no. Oh, Dawn.” He searched his pockets for a scrap of cloth, a bit of petal, anything to help her dry her face, but came up empty. “Dawn, Dawn, please don’t cry. I never wanted to be some jerk that hurt you, or made you upset. I just, I wanted to be your knight in shining armor. But I blew it.”

And then, something amazing happened. Slowly, Dawn’s sniffles died away, replaced by little hiccuping giggles. And then she was well and truly laughing, and he couldn’t have been more confused if he tried.

“Knights in shining armor are useless.” She said with a smile, wiping her eyes. “Armor is only shiny when it’s not being used. It’s when it’s all dull and dinged that you can tell that the person wearing it is a hero.” Her eyes swept down his body, purposely lingering on the browns and beiges he wore. The fist around his heart released its hold.

“Dawn-” She held up a hand, to silence him.

“I’m still mad, though not as much. But you  _listen_  to me, right here and right now.” Dawn waited until he’d nodded before continuing. “I don’t want a knight coming to my rescue, or a hero to pull me out of danger. My sister’s got that role all sewn up.” She reached out, taking his hands again.

“I want someone who’ll make me happy, Sunny. Who won’t lie to me, or trick me, or give me some reason to doubt them. If you can promise me you’ll be that person, then this never happened.” Dawn’s mouth was set in a firm line, though little hints of smile kept peeking through. “Well, I mean, of course it  _happened_ , but you’ll be forgiven. By me, at least. And probably Marianne. Dad might take some work, but he’ll come around. Well?”

He’d been nodding for so long, his neck was starting to ache. But he really did need to verbalize it. “I promise, nothing I do will  _ever_  make you cry again. No more secrets, no more lies.” Dawn finally let her smile shine through, and it was like looking into the sun.

“Good.” She said, pulling him forward by the straps of his overalls.

As they kissed, he knew he wasn’t actually getting off easy. He still had to explain himself and apologize to her father, and Marianne, and the Bog King, and all the creatures that got dusted...but that could come later.

For now, he figured he was allowed to enjoy the moment.


End file.
